Week 6: Triumph

[The Word of Triumph]

“When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.”With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”

In Greek, the words “it is finished:” translates to “tetelestai”. Tetelestai was a common word, often written on receipts for business. It’s meaning is simple: paid in full.

When Jesus died on the cross and exclaimed “it is finished”, He was telling us that His mission, His reason, His journey was complete, and that our sins were paid in full. He was telling us that we owe nothing, we have no outstanding debt. It was paid for. In full.

This was the ultimate act of selflessness. Of love. Of grace. To not only pay for our sins, our shortcomings, our mistakes, but to pay for them in full. Without any balance remaining.

Many times, the words “it is finished” are seen as defeat. They’re seen as “those words” that mean Jesus was done saving us. That He got too tired and gave up. However, those three small words actually mean the opposite. “It is finished” is not a cry of desperation or exhaustion. “It is finished” is a triumphant cry of victory. What He came to do was completed. Sin had been atoned for. We had been saved.

Our sins have been paid for in full. We have no debt, no bill, nothing to pay for. Because we serve a God of grace. A God that sent His son for us, so that we wouldn’t have to pay the price that we deserved to pay. Jesus not only gave us salvation, He IS salvation. His love is so great that we cannot take from it or add to it. He came, chose us, and bore the weight of the broken world so we don’t have to.